Foregoing food, I will lie
down on the shore. He will certainly show himself to me. If, however, he
doth not show himself, I will chastise him then by means of my great
weapons that are more blazing than fire itself and are incapable of
being baffled!" Having said these words, both Rama and Lakshmana touched
water[56] and duly laid themselves down on a bed of _kusa_ grass on the
seashore. The divine and illustrious Ocean then, that lord of male and
female rivers, surrounded by aquatic animals, appeared unto Rama in a
vision. And addressing Rama in sweet accents, the genius of the Ocean,
surrounded by countless mines of gems, said, "O son of Kausalya, tell me
what aid, O bull among men, I am to render thee! I also have sprung from
the race of Ikshwaku and am, therefore, a relative of thine!" Rama
replied unto him, saying, "O lord of rivers, male and female, I desire
thee to grant me a way for my troops, passing along which I may slay the
Ten-headed (Ravana), that wretch of Pulastya's race! If thou dost not
grant the way I beg of thee, I will then dry thee up by means of my
celestial arrows inspired with _mantras_!" And hearing these words of
Rama, the genius of Varuna's abode, joining his hands, answered in great
affliction, "I do not desire to put any obstacle in thy way. I am no foe
of thine! Listen, O Rama, to these words, and having listened, do what
is proper! If, at thy command, I get a way for the passage of thy army,
others then, from strength of their bows, will command me to do the
same! In thy army there is a monkey of the name of Nala, who is a
skilful mechanic. And endued with great strength, Nala is the son of
_Tashtri_, the divine artificer of the Universe. And whether it is wood,
or grass or stone, that he will throw into my waters, I will support the
same on my surface, and thus wilt thou have a bridge (over which to
pass)!" And having said these words, the genius of the Ocean
disappeared. And Rama awaking, called Nala unto him and said, "Build
thou a bridge over the sea! Thou alone, I am sure, art able to do it!"
And it was by this means that the descendant of Kakutstha's race caused
a bridge to be built that was ten _Yojanas_ in width and a hundred
_Yojanas_ in length. And to this day that bridge is celebrated over all
the world by the name of _Nala's bridge_. And having completed that
bridge, Nala, of body huge as a hill, came away at the command of Rama.

[54] There is a difference of reading her